Winch



Sept. 23, 1924. 1,509,169

C. D. M LACHLAN WINCH Filed Feb. 29. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet. 1

.owwaw-mauw 23 Sept. 23 1924.

c. o. MCLACHLAN WINCH Filed Feb. 29 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 CAM 6'84. DMLLMLALH Patented Sept. 23, 1924.

NHTE PATENT QFHDE,

COLIN DONALD MCLAGHLAN, O'IE GLASGOW, SCOTLAND.

WINCH.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, COLIN DONALD Mo- LAOHLAN, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and residing at Glasgow, Scotland, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Winches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to winches, e. g., winches for use in raising and lowering life boats, being designed to operate simultaneously two single wire rope falls.

The winch of the invention comprises a worm-wheel shaft carrying a loose wormwheel and a fixed spur-wheel and rotatable directly to raise light loads, a worm-shaft carrying a worm engaging the wormqvheel and operatively connectible with a plurality of crank handles fornse in raising heavy loads, a combined fly-wheel and brake-drum fixed to said worm-shaft, winch drums carrying spur-wheels meshing with the spurwheel on the worm-wheel shaft, and a pawl and-ratchet mechanism between the wormwheel shaft and the worm-wheel permitting rotation of the shaft in the direction to raise a load notwithstanding the action of the brake.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figs. 1 and 2 are elevations at right angles to one an other.

The winch shown comprises a frame 1 in which is journaled a. worm-wheel shaft 2 carrying a loose worm-wheel 3 and a fixed spur-Wheel 4. Also journaled in the frame 1 is a worm-shaft 5 disposed transversely of the shaft 2 and carrying a worm 6 meshing with the worm-wheel Operatively connectible t0 the worm 6 are crank handles 7, 8, 9 for use in raising heavy loads, the handle 7 being connectible directly to the shaft 5 and the handles 8, 9 being connectible to the ends of a counter shaft 10 opera tively connected by mitre wheels 11 to the shaft 5. A combined fly-wheel and brake drum 12 is mounted on the shaft 5 and wrapped by a manually controllable brakestrap 12 loaded by a weight 13 adjustably mounted on a brake lever 14. Journaled in the frame 1 above and below the shaft 2 are a pair of winch drums 15, 16 to which are fixed spur-wheels 17, 18 meshing with the spur-wheel l. Between the shaft 2 and the worm-wheel 3 is a pawl-and-ratchet mechanism 19. With this arrangement the shaft 2 may be rotated in the direction to raise a load by a crank connectible directly to the shaft 2 at 20 so as to rotate the drums 15, 16 without interference from the wormwheel 3 normally held against rotation by the action of the brake. Thus, to raise light loads the shaft 2 may be rotated directly. To raise heavier loads with the brake disengaged either the shaft 5 is rotated directly or the shaft 10 is rotated to rotate the shaft 5 and thereby rotate the worm-wheel 3, and, through the intermediary of the pawl-andratchet mechanism 19, the shaft 2, spurwheel at and drums 15, 16. The obliquity of the worm is such that the worm 6 and worm-wheel 3 are non-reactive, so that it is necessary to rotate the fiy-wheel 12 manually to initiate descent of the load, even when the brake is disengaged.

What I claim is In a winch, in combination, a wormwheel shaft, a worm-wheel loose on said shaft and a spur-wheel fixed on said shaft, a worm-shaft, a worm on said worm-shaft engaging said worm-wheel, a combined flywheel and brake drum on said worm-shaft, a manually controllable brake engageable with said drum, winch drums, spur wheels on said winch drums meshing with said first mentioned spur-wheel, and a pawl-andra-tchet mechanism between said wormwheel shaft and said worm-wheel permit ting rotation of said worm-wheel shaft in one circular direction without rotation of said worm-wheel, the transmission comprising said worm and worm-wheel being non-reactive, for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

COLIN DONALD MCLACHLAN.

Witnesses IsABEL RoLLo, GILBERT HILL. 

